Effect of Mindful Parenting Training for Parents with Children Having Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder on Parenting Stress

Abstract

Background: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder affecting both children and their parents. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of mindful parenting training for parents with children having attention deficit hyperactivity disorder on parenting stress. Quasi-experimental pre-test–post-test control group design has been implemented. A purposive sample has been used to select 100 parents (mothers or fathers) of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. This study has been carried out at the psychiatric outpatient clinic of Menoufia University Hospital at Shebin El-kom District, Menoufia Governorate, Egypt. Three tools were used to gather the data; A structured interviewing questionnaire to assess socio-demographic characteristics of the parents and children characteristics, Parenting Stress Index – Short Form, and Interpersonal mindfulness in parenting scale. The results revealed that there was a highly statistically significant reduction in the total mean score of parenting stress among the study group after the intervention compared to the control group where p value (p = 0.001), and there was a statistical significant improvement in the level of mindfulness in parenting of the study group after the intervention compared to the control group. It was concluded that the mindful parenting training had statistically significant positive effect on reducing parenting stress and improving level of mindfulness of parents with children having attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Recommendation: mindful parenting training should be incorporated into current treatment guidelines as a psychosocial option for families with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder